Kathmandu : Nepal made history as Sushila Karki, 73, took oath as the nation’s first-ever woman Prime Minister late Friday evening. Karki, who also served as the country’s first woman Chief Justice, assumed office after President Ram Chandra Poudel consulted extensively with Gen-Z protest leaders, constitutional experts, and the army chief throughout the day.
Following the collapse of KP Sharma-Oli’s government amid violent Gen-Z protests on Monday, activists recommended Karki for the post. Stakeholders debated whether the House of Representatives should dissolve before or after the new Prime Minister’s swearing-in. The protestors agreed on Karki’s appointment, although several non-political candidates were considered. Nepalese authorities invoked the “principle of necessity” to appoint Karki, as Articles 76 and 132(2) of the Constitution ordinarily disqualify former Supreme Court judges and non-House members from becoming Prime Minister.
Constitutional lawyer Bipin Adhikari noted, “While the principle of necessity is not standard law, Karki’s proven record of protecting the Constitution makes her a reliable choice temporarily, until elections restore a fully elected government.”
Karki’s appointment has earned praise across Nepal. Former Chief Justice Kalyan Shrestha stated, “I cannot judge her as a political leader, but her judicial leadership shows she can be relied upon.” Former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai welcomed her selection, highlighting Gen-Z activists’ confidence in her integrity and capability. “She must receive full national cooperation to lead the interim government,” he added.
Adhikari emphasized that Karki must coordinate among stakeholders, hold timely elections, and prosecute those responsible for Gen-Z protest violence. Reports indicate 51 people, including security personnel, died during the unrest, while public and private property suffered extensive damage. Protestors’ demands for accountability, anti-corruption measures, and good governance remain urgent.
Born in 1952 in Biratnagar, Morang District, Karki pursued education despite societal barriers for girls. Her father, influenced by Nepal’s first elected Prime Minister BP Koirala, joined the Nepali Congress. Karki earned her LLB from Tribhuvan University in 1972 and a Master’s in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University in 1975. She began legal practice in 1979 and became a senior advocate in 2007. In 2009, she joined the Supreme Court as an ad-hoc judge and became permanent in 2010. She rose to Chief Justice in April 2016.
During her tenure, Karki issued landmark rulings, including disqualifying anti-corruption chief Lok Man Singh Karki in 2017. She faced backlash over a police chief appointment, which led to a brief suspension until the Supreme Court reinstated her. Earlier, she sentenced Minister Jaya Prakash Gupta for corruption in 2012.
Karki’s husband, Durga Subedi, participated in Nepal’s first plane hijacking in 1973 to fund the Nepali Congress’s armed struggle against the Panchayat regime.
With her oath, Sushila Karki now stands as a symbol of gender equality and constitutional integrity in Nepal, entrusted with steering the country through political uncertainty while upholding democratic principles.
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